The present invention relates, in general, to railway coupling devices and, more particularly, this invention relates to a retainer member for use in connection assemblies utilized in articulated coupling arrangements and slackless drawbar assemblies which are used in the railway industry to couple together the adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway type freight cars in a substantially semi-permanent fashion.
Articulated coupling arrangements and slackless drawbar assemblies have been generally well known in the railroad industry for several years, prior to the development of the present invention, as a means to connect together the adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway type freight cars in a substantially semi-permanent fashion. In other words, these railway freight cars generally will not require frequent separation during service. Normally they will only be separated during a required repair and/or routinely scheduled maintenance being performed on one or more of them.
These railway cars are particularly adapted for what is most commonly referred to, in the railroad industry, as piggyback service and/or dedicated service wherein the cars may be joined in a semi-permanent fashion. The railroad cars which are joined in such semi-permanent fashion are also commonly referred to in the railroad industry as either a xe2x80x9c5-packxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9c10-packxe2x80x9d unit.
These 5-pack or 10-pack units do not require the use of a standard coupler, except between units. The primary reason such standard couplers are not required is because these units are only broken periodically. Normally, this occurs when maintenance of an individual component must be carried out. Obviously, considerable cost-savings are achieved by the use of this semi-permanent coupling arrangement. These cost savings are mainly derived from lower car weight, fewer railway trucks, reduced maintenance and generally lower equipment cost. Such lower equipment cost being achieved by elimination of draft gears and a reduction in the number of trucks required.
With the use of these semi-permanent coupling arrangements and with the higher loads presently being carried by modern railway trains, it is of the utmost importance that a close-buttoned relationship be maintained between the numerous coupler draft components. Such a close-buttoned relationship is required in order to reduce the detrimental effects of the impact forces which are encountered by a car under buff conditions of train operations.
One prior type of articulated coupling device used for the purpose of connecting adjacent ends of a pair of railway cars, in a semi-permanent manner, is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,819, the teachings of such patent hereby being incorporated into the present application by reference thereto.
This particular articulated coupling device includes a male connection member secured to one end of a first railway car body and a female connection member secured to an adjacent end of a second railway car body. The male connection member includes an aperture therein. A bearing assembly, including a substantially spherical member, is positioned within this aperture for joining such male connection member with the female connection member.
A race assembly, formed by at least two members, is provided within the aperture and is positioned around a predetermined portion of the substantially spherical member. The race assembly enables requisite movement of the male connection member in relation to the female connection member in each of a vertical direction and a horizontal direction over a predetermined range of angles measured from each of a centerline of the spherical member disposed in a vertical direction and a longitudinal axis of the articulated coupling arrangement disposed in a horizontal direction. A securing means is provided which is engageable with each of the race assembly and the male connection member for securing the race assembly and the spherical member to the male connection member.
One generally well known slackless type drawbar assembly using a ball and race type connection includes the following elements: a car connection member, or female connection member, engageable within the center sill portion of a railway vehicle, a spherical member securable within the car connection member, a male connection member having a curved butt end and an aperture which is disposed around the spherical member secured within the car connection member, a two piece race assembly secured within the aperture of the male connection member and disposed between the spherical member and such aperture and a drawbar connected to such male connection member.
A disadvantage of the articulated coupling arrangements and slackless drawbar assemblies discussed above is the provision of at least two separate members to form the race assembly and the care which must be taken to secure these two separate members within the aperture of the male connection member around a predetermined portion of the spherical member. These factors add additional materials cost, assembling time and labor to the manufacture of the articulated coupling arrangement and/or slackless drawbar assembly.
An object of the present invention is to provide a retainer member for use in a connection assembly which is utilized in an articulated coupling arrangement and/or a slackless drawbar assembly to connect together the adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway type freight cars in a substantially semi-permanent fashion.
A further object of the present invention is to replace the two piece race assembly with a single piece retainer member which fits into a slotted portion formed by the male connection member so as to form a substantially spherical inner surface upon which the spherical member can rotate against.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a retainer member for use in a connection assembly so that the connection assembly is easily assembled thus providing a significant reduction in time and labor.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a retainer member for use in a connection assembly such that the connection assembly requires fewer component parts thereby providing a significant reduction in manufacturing cost.
Briefly, and in accordance with the foregoing objects, the instant invention comprises a retainer member for retaining a spherical member in an operating position within a male connection member for use in one of an articulated coupling arrangement and a slackless drawbar arrangement. This male connection member includes an aperture having a predetermined configuration in one end thereof to form an inner surface. The retainer member comprises a circular member or component engageable with at least a portion of the inner surface of the male connection member so as to form a substantially spherical inner surface including at least a portion of the inner surface of the male connection member and at least a portion of the circular member. This substantially spherical inner surface is positioned around a predetermined portion of the spherical member and enables movement of the male connection member in relation to a railway car connection member in both a vertical direction and a horizontal direction over a predetermined range of angles.
A securing means is provided for securing the retainer member within the aperture of the male connection member. Also, a joining means is provided for joining the spherical member to the car or female connection member so as to connect adjacent ends of a pair of railway vehicles.
Although a number of objects and advantages of the present invention have been described in some detail above, various additional objects and advantages of the retainer member for use in a connection assembly according to the present invention will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the railway coupling art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when such detailed description of the invention is taken in conjunction with both the attached drawing figures and with the appended claims.